Tag holding device

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR HOLDING A TAG OR THE LIKE ON SUITABLE SUPPORTS SUCH AS ARTICLES OF MERCHANDISE. THE DEVICE HAS A BASE PORTION INCLUDING SUPPORTING MEANS IN THE FORM OF A MAGNET, A SHELF-TALKER ENGAGING BRACKET, A TONGUE PLATE, NEEDLE-LIKE PRONGS, OR THE LIKE, AND THIS BASE PORTION SUPPORTS A TAG HOLDING ARM MADE OF SPRING WIRE WITH A HELICAL LOOPED PORTION ARRANGED FRICTIONALLY TO RECEIVE AND HOLD A TAG REMOVABLY BETWEEN THE LOOPS. THE TAG HOLDING ARM HAS EXTENSIONS ON THE OPPOSITE END FROM THE LOOPED PORTION PROVIDED WITH INTURNED ENDS WHICH PIVOTALLY ENGAGE SOCKETS IN THE BASE PORTION. THE BASE HAS A PLURALITY OF PROJECTIONS ENGAGEABLE BY THE EXTENSIOINS OF THE TAG HOLDING ARM FOR HOLDING THE LATTER IN SELECTED PIVOTED POSITIONS. THE HELICAL LOOP PORTION IS ARRANGED TO HAVE A SNAPON ENGAGEMENT WITH AN ATTACHMENT WHICH IN TURN REMOVABLY HOLDS A TAG.

Fileuary 23; 1969 FIG; lov

M. PALMR j TAG HOLDINGDEVICE 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTY.

DONALD M. PALMER n www United States Patent Oice 3,557,474 TAG HOLDING DEVICE Donald M. Palmer, 2627 SE. 68th Ave., Portland, Oreg. 97206 Filed May 23, 1969, Ser. No. 827,313 Int. Cl. G09f 3/18 U.S. Cl. 40-10 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for holding a tag or the like on suitable supports such as articles of merchandise. The device has a base portion including supporting means in the form of a magnet, a shelf-talker engaging bracket, a tongue plate, needle-like prongs, or the like, and this base portion supports a tag holding arm made of spring Iwire with a helical looped portion arranged frictionally to receive and hold a tag removably between the loops. The tag holding arm has extensions on the opposite end from the looped portion provided with inturned ends which pivotally engage sockets in the base portion. The base has a plurality of projections engageable by the extensions of the tag holding arm for holding the latter in selected pivoted positions. The helical loop portion is arranged to have a snapon engagement with an attachment which in turn removably holds a tag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tag holding devices.

While tag holding devices have heretofore been provided for removably attaching tags to various articles of merchandise, such holding devices have not been suiciently versatile and of low cost to achieve commercial success. Applicant has conceived a tag holding device which on the one hand is inexpensive to manufacture and which on the other hand has means for easily attaching it to an article of merchandise. Furthermore, the holding device is arranged to position the tag for eicient inspection by customers.

The present invention thus has as a primary objective thereof to provide a tag holding device which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is versatile in its attachment to various supports, and which is arranged to present a tag for eicient inspection.

Another object is to provide a tag holding device which employs a holding arm of spring wire having a helical looped portion arranged to frictionally receive and hold the tag in the loop, and also including base means on which the tag holding arm is mounted, the attaching means between the tag holding arm and the base comprising a pivotally adjustable attachment wherein the said tag holding arm can be positioned selectively for best viewing of a tag supported on the arm.

Another object is to provide a tag holding device of the type described having novel attaching means between the tag holding arm and the base for selectively adjusting the said tag holding arm.

Still another object is to provide in a tag holding device of the type described a plate member for receiving a tag which is viewed from the front side of the plate member, said plate member having a projection on the rear side thereof providing a snap-on engagement with the helical looped portion with the tag holding arm.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description which illustrates preferred forms of the device.

3,557,474 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I'FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form ofthe present tag holding device;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

lFIG. 4 is a top plan view taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views showing alterative forms of base structure for the tag holding device;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of FIG. 9 and illustrating a tag holding plate attachab'le to the holding arm;

FIG. 9 is a face view of the plate member taken on the line 9 9 of FIG. 8, the structure being partly broken away;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of another form of base structure;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the structure of FIG. l0, taken on the line 11 of FIG. l0;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of still another form of the invention; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line 13 13 of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in detail to the drawings, and rst to FIGS. 1 4, a first form of the present tag holding device utilizes a base 10` and a tag holding arm 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the base 10 comprises a support plate 14 to which is secured a body member 16 extending at right angles to the support plate 14. Body member 16 has a right angle foot extension 18 at one end and a tubular, open-ended sleeve-like portion 20 at the other end.

Support plate 14 may be constructed of a heavy material in order that the device will stand upright but preferably comprises a permanent magnet whereby the device can be removably attached to articles of merchandise formed of magnetic attracting material. Where the support plate 114 comprises a magnet, it is preferred that it have a top plate 22 bonded thereto to which the foot extension 1'8 is permanently secured, such structure being particularly applicable for use wherein the the support plate 14 comprises a magnet, it is preferred net which due to its consistency is adapted for attachment to the surfaces of appliances and the like without possibility of scratching such surfaces.

Mounted in each of the open ends of the sleeve portion 20 is an insert 24 having a central bore 26 and a anged outer end 28. Each of the flanged ends 28 hasa pair of inwardly projecting knobs or projections 30 extending parallel to the inserts 24 and spaced to receive the body member 16 therebetween. Knobs 30 serve to anchor the inserts against rotation on the body member.

The tag holding arm is constructed of a single piece of spring wire and has a helical loopI portion 32 formed intermediate its ends. Extensions 34 from the loop portion 32 have angular bends 36 therein so that the axis of the loop portion is parallel to the said extensions. The extensions 34 have inturned end portions 38 which serve as the supporting shaft for the tag holding arm 12.

Since the tag holding arm 12 is constructed of a spring Wire, the extensions 28 are readily installed in the inserts 24 by spreading the said extensions apart and then allowing them by their spring force to move into the bores 26.

3 Such spring action of the extensions 34 serves to hold the inserts 24 in the body member 16 for assembly purposes.

Flanges 28 of the inserts 24 have outwardly projecting knobs arranged in a circular pattern adjacent the peripheral surface of the flanges. These knobs are spaced apart selectively whereby to receive the extensions 34 therebetween and have an outward dimension serving to hold the tag holding portion in a fixed rotative position under the normal weight of the arm 12 and a tag T therein but permitting forced rotation thereof over the top of the knobs when it is desired to adjust the rotated position of such tag holding portion. The spring wire construction of the arm 12 allows sufficient flexing thereof for manually forcing the extensions 34 over the knobs.

A tag T is shown in mounted position in the holder in FIG. 1. Such tag is installed in the holder merely by forcing it edgewise in between loops of the portion 32. It is held in place by frictional engagement by the loops.

The base of the tag holding device may take different forms as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. That is, instead of utilizing a magnetic base, the body member 16 is secured to a bracket 42 arranged to lit in the usual shelf talker channels of well known construction. This bracket comprises a top wall 44 to which the body member 16 is secured, a pair of angled side walls 46 and end flanges 48 bent relative to the walls 46 to be substantially parallel with the top wall 44. Bracket 42 is made of spring metal, and for mounting the bracket in the conventional shelf talker channel, the side walls 46 are manually tiexed inwardly to a reduced span of the channel opening. When released, the spring biasing action of the walls 46 holds v the tag holding device in place.

In FIG. 6, the body member 16a is constructed such that a foot extension 18a is elongated to form a tongue adapted for insertion between articles of merchandise or layers thereof. The tongue 18a may for example be inserted between the layers of a rolled rug or between articles of stacked merchandise for holding the device in a tag displaying condition.

FIG. 7 shows a modification wherein one or more stick pins 50 are secured to a foot extension 1811 whereby the device is adapted to be supported on an article of merchandise by embedding the stick pins 50 therein.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a structure wherein the loop portion 32 of tag holding arm 12 is adapted to be connected to and supports a holder 52 for tags or the like. The holder 52 comprises a plate 53 provided with a forwardly spaced, inturned front peripheral flange 54 forming a tag holding slot 56 which as best seen in FIG. 9 has an opening 58 along one edge of the plate for insertion and removal of the tags from the slot.

Holder 52 is removably attached to the tag holding arm 12. For this purpose, it has a rear projection 60 provided with a peripheral groove 62 having substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of the helical loop 32 on the tag holding arm 12, and in order to attach the holder 52 to the said tag holding arm the loop 32 is forcefully snapped over the n'b 64 into the groove 62. The holder is removed from the tag holding arm by forcefully pulling it off. Although the holder is installed by forceful engagement or disengagement of the loop 32 and projection 60, the friction grip of these last mentioned parts is sufficient to bear the weight of the plate and tag and to prevent rotation of the arm relative to the base.

According to the present invention, price tags or the like can be readily and removably attached to articles of merchandise or to other supports such as shelves, counters,

furniture, or the like. The tag holding arms 12 can be rotated to a desired position wherein the tag will be plainly visible to the customer and due to the engagement of the arm 12 by the side knobs 40 on the inserts 24 the tags are held in a fixed position even though supporting a substantially heavy tag or tag holder. With regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, not only can the tag holding arm 12 be rotated so as to position the holder 52 as desired but 4 the latter can also be rotated relative to the arm for best viewing.

FIG. 10 illustrates another base form of the tag holding device wherein the body member 16a has a spring clip 66 attached thereto and adapted for frictional engagement on shelf edges 68 or the like.

In FIGS. 12 and 13, the base or holding portion comprises a clothespin-type structure 70 having clip members 72 and 74 provided with jaw ends 76. The clip members 72 and 74 are pivotally connected on a bushing 78 of a friction-type material such as plastic, and such bushing has a central bore for receiving inturned ends 38 of tag holding arm 12 of a structure identical to that of FIG. 1. The fitted engagement of the clip member 72 and 74 on the bushing 78 and the fitted engagement of the arm ends 38 in the bushing are sufficiently tight such that the arm 12 will remain in a position where set.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various other changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A tag holding device comprising (a) a base portion having means adapted for removably supporting said device on a Supporting member,

(b) a tag holding arm having tag holding means at one end arranged frictionally to receive and hold a tag,

(c) a pair of extensions at the other end of said tag holding arm having inturned portions,

(d) means defining sockets in said `base portion arranged to pivotally receive the inturned portions of said extensions,

(e) and means on said base portion releasably holding said extensions and thus said tag holding arm in selected pivoted positions.

2. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein (a) said base portion includes a bottom support for removably supporting said device on a supporting member,

(b) a body member projecting from said bottom support,

(c) and means on said body member pivotally receive the inturned ends of said extensions.

3. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein (a) said base portion includes a bottom support for removably supporting said device on a supporting member,

(b) a body member projecting from said bottom support and having a sleeve portion thereon,

(c) inserts non-rotatably mounted in the ends of said sleeve portion having said sockets therein receiving pivotally the inturned ends of said extensions,

(d) and means on said `body member engageable by said extensions and arranged to hold said tag holding arm in selected pivoted positions.

4. The tag holding device of claim 3 wherein (a) said inserts have inner and outer ends,

(b) said means on said body member for holding the tag holding arm in selected pivoted positions comprises a plurality of projections on the outer ends of said inserts arranged in a circular pattern and being disposed in selected spaced relation whereby t0 receive said extensions therebetween to hold said tag holding arm against rotation.

5. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein (a) said tag holding arm is constructed of spring wire,

(b) said tag holding means comprising a helical loop in said arm arranged to frictionally hold a tag between convolutions thereof,

(c) said base portion including a bottom support for removably supporting said device on a supporting member,

(d) a body member projecting from said bottom sllp port and having a sleeve portion thereon,

(e) inserts non-rotatably mounted in the ends of said sleeve portion having said sockets therein receiving pivotally the inturned ends of said extensions and being held in said sleeve by inward spring force of said extensions,

(f) said inserts having inner and outer ends,

(g) said means on said body member for holding the tag holding arm in selected pivoted positions comprising a plurality of projections on the outer ends of said inserts arranged in a circular pattern and being disposed in selected spaced relation whereby to receive said extensions therebetween to hold said tag i holding arm against rotation.

6. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein said base portion includes a magnet for holding said device on a support member.

7. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein said base portion includes spring clip means arranged for engagement with a support member.

8. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein said base portion includes an elongated tongue.

9. The tag holding device of claim 1 wherein said base portion includes sharpened projections.

receiving a tag for viewing from the front thereof,-

and a projection on the rear side of Said plate member,

(d) said projection having means providing a snap-on into said helical loop.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 363,206 5/1887 Burgess 40-11A 2,032,617 3/1936 Kelly 40-11A 2,508,974 5/ 1950 Soditch et al. 248-291 3,008,254 11/1961 Smith 40-16.6X 3,221,429 12/1965 Reuben et al. 40-10 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

